Non-spillable cup



NW. 24, 195% A. A. MESSINGER 2,914,214

NON-SPILLABLE cup Filed June 20, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.11455274, MESEWG'EZ drive/v57 IIIIIIII/III/IA Nam 24, 1959 A. A.MESSINGER NON-SPILLABLE CUP Filed. June 20, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. MESS/N652 J77'0A Z/VEV United States Patent I NON-SPILLABLECUP Albert A. Messinger, Lancaster, Calif.

Application June 20, 1957, Serial No. 666,924 9 Claims. (31. 220-904This invention relates to vessels for holding liquids and particularlyto a baby cup which is non-spillable.

Various types of baby cups, suitable for use by babies for Weaning andsubsequently for drinking, are Well known. The, present cup may serve asa weaning cup or as a normal drinking'cup for babies and has theadvantage of being non-spillable. To provide this result, the cup isformed with conduits having exits at diametrically oppositepositions onthe edge of the cup, each conduit having anentrance at'a point above thenormal level of the liquid in the cup. Once the liquid is drawn into thetube, it may be withdrawn in the normal drinking manner. To prevent theliquid from continuing to flow through siphon action, a smallbpening ismade in each conduit to permit air to, enter and break the flow ofliquid.

Several modifications having the same basic principle are disclosedhereinafter, the conduits being either formed from tubing of a metal orplastic nature or by grooves molded in an insert withinthe outer shellof the cup to form conduits. This grooved type of cup lends itself to'easy andcomplete cleaning, since when the insert is re moved from theshell, the grooves may be easily reached witha cleaning brush.

The principal object of the invention, therefore, is to facilitate thedrinking of liquids by babies.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved weaning ordrinking cupfor babies.

A further object of the invention is to-provide a drinking cup forbabies which is non-spillable.

A better understanding of this invention may behad from the following,detailed ,description when read in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view ofa drinkingcup embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the cup shown in Fig. land takenalong the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. '3is a cross-sectional view of the cup shown in Figfl and takenalong the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the cup shown in Figs. 1, 2and 3 showing an opening for breaking the siphon;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of another modification of a drinkingcup embodyingthe' invention;

Fig. '6is a partial side view of the modification shown in FigJS a'ndtaken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an elevational cross-sectional view of a third modificationofa drinking cup embodying the invention;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the modification shown in Fig. 7 andtaken along the line 88 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a fourth modification of a drinkingcup embodying the invention;

Fig. 10 is a flattened view of the surface of the insert of themodification shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. ll is a bottom view of the insert of a fifth modification of a cupembodying the invention: and

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of a modification of the cup shown in Fig.11.

Referring, now, to the drawings in which the same "ice referencenumerals refer to the same elements, and particularly to Figs. 1 to 4,inclusive, an outer shell 5 having one or more handles 6 has an uppercollar portion 7 serving as a lid or cover with lip portions 9 and 10.The collar portion 7 has a fiat closure base 12, the portion 7 beinginsertable in the shell 5, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3.

' .An opening is provided in each of the lips 9 and 10 in'which are twotubes or holes 14 and 15, respectively, tube 14 being shaped in a circleand terminating at 16. Tube 15 has the same but a reverse configurationand terminates at 17. Each tube is provided with a small open-' ing 19as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. After the shell 5 is supplied with theliquid, the collar 7, with its tubes 14 and 15, is inserted therein. Toobtain the liquid 21 from the cup, it is tilted as shown in Fig. 3 andsuction applied to the tube 14. The

liquid will then flow into the tube at 16 and be obtained at the exit orlip 9, since the level of the liquid is above the entrance .16 asshownat 21. Should the cup be turned completely over on its side and theliquid is below the opening 19, the liquid will not flow through eithertube by siphon action because air will enter the openings 19. In thismanner, the cup becomes non-spillable, except perhaps for a slightamount of liquid between the points 22 and 23 and the exit points of thetubes 14 and 15. The openings do not prevent the removal of the liquidwhen it is being drawn out of the cup when the liquid level is below theopenings 19, because the openings are proportional to the size of thetubes and insufficient air enters the tube during the withdrawalfunction. By the use of the two tubes, an air vent is always present 25has an insert 26 therein, the insert 26 having an upper,

regardless of which tube is being used to withdraw the liquid; 7

Referring, now, to Figs. 5 and 6, another modification,

using tubes is illustrated. In this modification, the shell nates atpoint 37. In this modification, the liquid is placed in insert 26 asshown at 38.

The modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6 operates on the same principleas the modification shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive; namely, that whenthe cup has liquid therein and is laidon its side, the liquid will notflow out of the cu p except for a small amount from the high points onthe tubes 33 and 36 and the exit points. To prevent the siphon action,small openings 40 and 4-1 are made through the insert 26 and into therespective tubes 33 and 3 6,. the-openings being of a size in accordancewith the size of the tubes as mentioned above.

A third modification embodying the same principle as that described inconnection with Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive is shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Inthis modification, the shell 44 with its-handlesl45 has an upper collar47v similar to the modification shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. Thatis, the collar 47 has a base portion 48 and two lip portions 49 and 50.Attached to the collar 47 is a tapered insert 52 having a hand knob 53which has been molded with two conduits. One conduit 54 extends throughthe lip portion 49 and goes downwardly and to the opposite side of thecup and then around and exits at 55. The other conduit 56 from lip 50extends to the opposite side of the cup and then around and exits at 57.The liquid in this modification is placed in the shell 44 and may beWithdrawn in the same manner as described above, the cup beingnon-spillable in the same manner 3 In this modification also, the siphonaction is brqkelgky the small holes 58 extending through the insert 52and into the bottom of the two conduits.

, A fourth modification is shown in Figs. 9 and which a shell 60 withits handle 61 has an insert 62 having an upper portion 63 with hpsections s uch a s shown at 64. In this modification, conduits areformed between the grooves in insert 62 and shell 60,. the rea r conduitbeing shown by dotted lines asextendmg downwardly, then to the right andthen reversing itself and going upwardly and exiting at 66. On theopposite side of the cup, a conduit 68 goes downwardly and to the right,reverses itself, and has an exit at 69. To prevent siphoning, twoopenings 70 and 71 are provided infhe conduits 65 and 68, respectively.As "mentioned above, this modification is easily cleaned by "simplyremoving the insert 62 and brushing the grooves in the insert with abrush.

The fifth modification shown in Fig. 11 is of the general type having ashell 73 and an insert 74. The exits of the grooves cut in the sides ofthe insert are in the same position as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. However,the lower portions of the conduits formed between the shell 73 and theinsert 74 are positioned in the bottom of the insert 74 as shown at 76and 77, this modification having a bottom while the modification shownin Figs. 9 and 10 has no bottom to the insert. The siphon-breaking holesin the conduit are shown at 78 and 79.

A modification of the lower end of the inserts 62 and 74 is shown inFig. 12. In this form, the grooves may be in a tapered bottom section ofinsert 82 in a shell 83, the conduit 85 being formed in portion 81 andconduit 86 being formed in portion 87 of the tapered section.

In all of the above modifications, the same principle of operation isembodied. That is, the liquid is obtained through an exit end of a tubeor conduit which enters the cup and has a portion thereof at theopposite side of the cup from the exit. The entrance to the tube orconduit is at the same side as the exit so that all of the liquid may beeasily removed from the cup. At the same time, however, since the tubeshave sections at the opposite sides of the cup, the cup becomesnonspillable except for a small portion of liquid near the exit ends ofthe tubes or conduits. The small openings in the bottom portion of thetubes or conduits prevent siphon action from continuing after thesuction is removed from the exit ends of the tubes or conduits.

It is to be noted that the handles are positioned between the exitpoints to prevent the cup from rolling to spillable positions, althoughother means to prevent excessive rolling may be used.

I claim: 7

1. A non-spillable, liquid-dispensing cup comprising a shell, a closuremember for said shell having a pair of exit openings adjacent the edgethereof and positioned diametrically opposite one another, said closuremember having a substantially fiat portion near the top of said shell,and a pair of conduits extending from said exit openings to a pointadjacent the bottom of said cup into and terminating within said shell,said conduits having entrance openings within said shell and adjacentsaid flat portion of said closure member and on the same side of saidshell as said exit openings with a portion of each conduit beingpositioned along the opposite sides of said ings of each of saidrespective conduits, one of said conduits providing an air vent when anyliquid in said cup is being withdrawn therefrom through said otherconduit.

2. A non-spillable cup in accordance with claim 1 in which said conduitsare tubes having circular portions extending substantially across theinternal diameter of said shell.

3. A non-spillable cup in accordance with claim 1 in which said conduitsare grooves formed in the walls of said closure member.

4. A non-spillable cup in accordance withclaim 1 in which small openingsare provided in said con'duits at points substantially the maximumdistance from said exit openings, said cup having at least one handlepositioned equidistant from each exit opening.

5. A drinking cup comprising a substantially cylindrical shell having .afixed closure member at one end thereof, an attachable and detachableclosure member atthe other end o fsaidshell, said last-mentioned closuremember having a substantially fiat portion near the top of said shelland having a pair of diametrically positioned openings in the rimthereof, and a pair of conduits having an end of each at one of saidopenings and extending into and terminating within said shell, eachconduit extending to a point adjacent said fixed closure member and backto a point adjacent said detachable closure member, the other end ofeach conduit being on the same side of said shell as its respectivefirst-mentioned end, a portion of each conduit being positioned adjacentsaid shell opposite from its respective ends.

6. A drinking cup in accordance with claim 5 in which said conduits haveopenings therein smaller than, the size of said conduits, said openingsbeing positioned at substantially the maximum distance from saidfirst-mentioned openings, said cup havingat least one handle positionedequidistant between saidrim openings.

7. A drinking cup in accordance with claim 5 in which said conduits aretubes connected to said openings and attached to said attachable anddetachable closure member, openings smaller than said first-mentionedopenings being positioned in said conduits at substantially the maximumdistance from said first-mentioned openings.

8. A drinking cup in accordance with claim 5 in which said attachableand detachable closure member is a substantially cylindrical insertadapted to be accommodated within said shell, and said conduits areformed by grooves i'nsaid insert and the inner surface of said shell,openings smaller than said first-mentioned openings being positioned insaid conduits at substantially the maximum distance from saidfirst-mentioned openings. ,4 I

9. A drinking cup in accordance with claim 8 in which each of saidgrooves pass within said shell along one side of said shell, form a loopat the bottom of said shell and then return along the same side of saidshe'll.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

